The Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods You Should Always Buy Organic

The Environmental Working Group released its 2015 report on pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables on Wednesday.

When it comes to buying fruit, comparing organic with conventionally grown options can be like apples and oranges—even when all you’re trying to buy is apples.

A pound of apples costs roughly between $1 and $1.50, according to the most recent data from the USDA. If you want to go organic, you’ll pay about $1 more per pound.

You could make a case for the apples being worth more, however, because you’re buying a not insignificant amount of pesticides with that fruit, according to analysis of government data by the Environmental Working Group. In the latest iteration of the Dirty Dozen, released Wednesday, apples once again topped the list of the 12 fruits and vegetables (well, 14, really) that retain the highest amount of pesticides and other toxic agricultural chemicals.

According to the accompanying report, two-thirds of the more than 3,000 produce samples analyzed by the USDA tested positive for pesticide residue. A study published earlier this month by the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that eating organic reduced people’s exposure to pesticides—but that even sticking to an all-organic diet could still result in some pesticide intake. Chemicals used in agriculture can have severe health effects on agricultural workers, and there are concerns that low-level, long-term exposure could contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and autism.

So if you’re a budget-conscious shopper—and who isn’t, really?—but aren’t looking for a good deal on some value-added pesticides, that extra dollar per pound for apples is well spent. The same goes for peaches, nectarines, strawberries. and grapes, which round out the top five. And the consumer-friendly guide will show you where to make up for your more expensive organic purchases with the Clean Fifteen, a list of those items that bear the least amount of residue. Avocados, which top the less toxic list, are nearly pesticide-free even when conventionally grown; just 1 percent of the fruit sampled showed remnants of farming chemicals.

“We are saying, eat your fruits and vegetables,” Sonya Lunder, EWG’s senior analyst, said in a statement. “But know which ones have the highest amounts of pesticides so you can opt for the organic versions, if available and affordable, or grab a snack off the Clean Fifteen.”

NCWC: Why Dehydration Is Making You Fat And Sick

Why Dehydration Is Making You Fat And Sick

Digestive, skin, bladder and kidney problems, fatigue and headache are just some of the adverse effects from not drinking enough water. We need it as much as air we breathe in! It’s not a joke.

Did you know that when you start feeling thristy your body is already dehydrated? The best practice is to sip water throughout a day. Have it always handy!If you’re not a morning person, have two glasses of water right after you wake up. It will boost up your blood pressure to normal levels, and it’s way healthier than having your first coffee on an empty stomach.

Also, don’t think that sweetened juices, soda or tea will hydrate you as well as water does. It’s actually the opposite! Sugar, as well as salt, makes your body waste precious water just to clean it out from your system. And if you love your coffee, make sure to drink one extra glass of water for every cup you have.

And as an added bonus, drinking water speeds up your metabolism and makes you feel more ‘full’. You will eat less once you start drinking more! It’s the safest and healthiest way to loose some weight.

According to research recently conducted at Emory University in Atlanta, adherence to the Paleo Diet may significantly slash colorectal cancer rates.1 For their study, published online last month in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers examined the dietary habits of 2,301 men and women, 30 to 74 years old. Participants were categorized based on how closely their diets resembled the Paleo Diet. Overall, 564 participants developed colorectal adenoma, a benign tumor of the colon or rectum. Scientists classify colorectal adenoma as a precursor to colorectal cancer.2 For women with diets most closely resembling the Paleo Diet, tumor rates fell 29 percent compared to control groups. For men, Paleo Diet benefits were even more pronounced, with tumor rates falling 51 percent.

For those who study and follow the Paleo lifestyle, these results are hardly surprising. As the Paleo Diet becomes increasingly popular, however, it’s also more frequently misrepresented. Just last week, for example, Janet Helm of US News & World Report wrote about Paleo, “I don’t support this restrictive, meat-heavy diet that bans so many nutritious foods, such as dairy, grains and beans.”3 The Paleo Diet, of course, includes healthy animal foods, but disparagingly calling it “meat-heavy,” ignores the fact that it’s very vegetable-heavy. Could the Paleo Diet’s high vegetable level explain its protective effects against colorectal cancer?

Vegetables, of course, contain fiber and Western diets contain far less fiber than those of our Paleolithic ancestors. Whereas mean daily fiber intakes in the US range from 10 to 18 grams, our Paleolithic ancestors consumed upwards of 100 grams daily.4, 5 Some 40 years ago, an Irish surgeon named Denis Burkitt introduced the theory that increased consumption of dietary fiber decreases colorectal cancer risks.6 Burkitt’s theory gained traction and was eventually accepted as common knowledge, but a number of cohort studies and randomized controlled trials in recent decades have strongly challenged his contention.7 Although many prominent institutions, including the Harvard School of Public Health, no longer accept Burkitt’s theory, it may be premature to conclude that fiber consumption and colorectal cancer are unrelated.8

In an article published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, anthropologist Jeff Leach points out that fiber levels in studies challenging Burkitt’s theory, even for participants in the uppermost quintiles, are still far below evolutionary standards.9 We should also acknowledge fiber’s beneficial effects with respect to gut microbiome health. Increased fiber consumption promotes decreased intestinal inflammation, decreased body weight, and decreased obesity-induced chronic inflammation.10 While the causes of colorectal cancer are not entirely known, the Mayo Clinic lists inflammatory intestinal conditions, insulin resistance, obesity, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and sedentary lifestyle all as factors that may increase colorectal cancer risks.11

So what does this new research associating the Paleo Diet with decreased colorectal cancer really tell us? Does the Paleo Diet’s vegetable-heavy, and thus fiber-heavy, aspect account for this benefit? We cannot say so definitively. We can say, however, that the Paleo Diet is more than just a diet. It’s a lifestyle that promotes wellness and prevents disease. Most diseases, especially cancer, have multiple roots, the combination of which eventually grows into disease. This recent research is a testament to the holistic nature of the Paleo Diet and Paleo lifestyle, encompassing many informed decisions, which likely collectively protect against colorectal cancer.

Christopher James Clark, B.B.A.

Christopher James Clark, B.B.A. is an award-winning writer, consultant, and chef with specialized knowledge in nutritional science and healing cuisine. He has a Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan and formerly worked as a revenue management analyst for a Fortune 100 company. For the past decade-plus, he has been designing menus, recipes, and food concepts for restaurants and spas, coaching private clients, teaching cooking workshops worldwide, and managing the kitchen for a renowned Greek yoga resort. Clark is the author of the critically acclaimed, award-winning book, Nutritional Grail.

How Gluten can Affect Your Brain, Gut, and Skin

David Jockers DC, MS, CSCS

Ditch Gluten to Improve Your Brain, Gut and Skin

Most people associate gluten sensitivity issues with digestive problems such as Celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome. While gluten does have a very negative effect on the digestive system, it also inflames other regions of the body. The other regions that are often most effected are the brain, joints, and skin.

It is estimated by many researchers, including Dr Kenneth Fine, PhD, that 81% of the population has some level of gluten sensitivity. This means that the body produces antibodies to some sort of gluten derivative. This could be to the protein gliadin and its various forms or to a mechanism called molecular mimicry where the body produces antibodies to proteins that are similar to gliadin in its various forms.

Many researchers and health care practitioners believe that everyone on the planet is better off removing gluten from their diets. When individuals remove gluten they notice significant improvements in brain function, energy levels, breathing, immunity, pain levels, and skin health.

Kicking Gluten Improves your Brain

When we eat foods containing gluten, we increase a protein molecule called Zonulin. Zonulin works as a gatekeeper in both the intestine and the blood brain barrier. The more zonulin in the gut, the more permeable the intestinal cells become and the risk of developing leaky gut syndrome increases.

High levels of zonulin also loosen the tight junctions in the epithelium of our blood cells. This allows toxins and other molecules to slip through the blood brain barrier. When the blood brain barrier is permeable, it activates an inflammatory response in the brain.

Your Brain Doesn’t Feel Pain but It Still Suffers

The brain itself does not feel pain and chronic inflammation is experienced with symptoms such as brain fog, slow mental processing, anxiety, depression, emotional disturbances, etc. Over time, a brain that is chronically inflamed leads to neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.

Individuals may also form specific antibodies to gluten molecules that mimic other regions of the body. One of the most common of these molecular mimicry patterns is Glutamate Decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies. GAD is an enzyme that helps metabolize glutamate and it is key for energy production in major regions of the brain.

Individuals with GAD antibodies often form cerebellar ataxia where they are unable to maintain balance and have very poor coordination. GAD antibodies are also implicated in type I diabetes, adult auto-immune diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and stiff man syndrome.

When we metabolize gluten, we produce the opiates gluteomorphin and prodynorphin as a result. These opiates have an addictive effect and can often lead to food addictions to sugar and gluten containing carbs. People often struggle to come off of these foods due to the addictions.

Dropping Gluten Gives You More Energy

A gluten sensitive individual will constantly be triggering their adrenals to pump out stress hormones every time they consume gluten. The immune system has to crank up and go into hyper-inflammatory mode, which utilizes a lot of vital resources as well. This taxes the body of raw materials and sets it up for adrenal exhaustion and chronic fatigue.

By eating an anti-inflammatory diet that takes out food borne stressors like gluten, genetically modified foods, sugary foods, and pasteurized dairy, you allow the adrenals to come down. This results in better sleep, more energy, and improved stress and emotional balance.

Cutting Gluten Improves Breathing, Joints, and Skin Health

One of the patterns of molecular mimickry is antibodies to transglutaminase. Transglutaminases are enzymes found throughout the body that bind proteins together and they are also key to the digestion of wheat. When the body forms an immune response to the gluten molecule, it often creates sensitivity to transglutaminase molecules as well.

Transglutaminase-2 (TG-2) is found in the intestinal lining and antibodies to TG-2 are a marker for celiac disease. TG2 is a well-known marker for osteoarthritis as well. This is one of the reasons why individuals with celiac disease also have advanced degeneration in their spine. Many individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity also have major problems with joint pain, rheumatoidism, and osteoarthritis.

Transglutaminase-3 (TG-3) are found in the skin and antibodies can lead to chronic acne,eczema, and dermatitis. Transglutaminase-6 (TG-6) is found throughout the central nervous system and antibody formation leads to neurological disorders. Transglutaminase-7 (TG-7) is found in the lungs and antibody formation leads to asthma and other pulmonary challenges.

Give up Gluten and Look and Feel Better than Ever

When you give up gluten and sugar and minimize grains and other inflammatory agents you will notice that you look and feel significantly better. Your skin will get clearer, your hair will be shinier, your joints will be stronger and your brain will be sharper . Your memory will improve and you will feel more emotionally balanced.

The benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet far outweigh the momentary glutinous or social benefits associated with eating gluten, sugar, and other inflammatory foods. Your greatest asset is the body God gave you, and you have to take proper care of it to live out your full potential in life!